Semiconductor device including a transparent semiconductor layer for viewing an underlying transistor in a semiconductor substrate

• US 8,008,667 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kamo, Yoshitaka, Koyama, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; Matthew E
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, DAVID Z
• Application Number:
  US11/955,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 257/76, 257/338, 257/E25.017, 257/80, 257/77, 257/E25.006, 257/E25.013, 257/E25.027, 257/E23.085, 257/E21.209, 257/E21.614, 257/E27.026, 257/E27.027, 257/E27.028, 257/E27.029, 257/E29.068, 257/74, 438/152
• US Class Current: 257/74
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02378 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer and a first semiconductor element located in the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device also includes a second semiconductor layer of a transparent semiconductor material. The second semiconductor layer is disposed on the first semiconductor layer covering the first semiconductor element. The semiconductor device also includes a second semiconductor element located in the second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device also includes a wire extending within the second semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the first and second semiconductor elements.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first semiconductor material;

a first transistor located in said semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor layer of a crystalline transparent second semiconductor material, different in composition from said first semiconductor material, grown directly on said semiconductor substrate and covering said first transistor;

a second transistor located in said first semiconductor layer; and

a wire extending within said first semiconductor layer and electrically connecting said first transistor to said second transistor, wherein said second semiconductor material has a bandgap energy of at least 2.5 eV.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said first semiconductor material is a transparent semiconductor material.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein:

said semiconductor substrate is a single crystal material having a lattice constant; and

said first semiconductor layer is a single crystal material having a lattice constant close to the lattice constant of said semiconductor substrate so said first semiconductor layer is epitaxial to said semiconductor substrate.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first semiconductor material;

a first transistor located in said semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor layer of a crystalline transparent second semiconductor material, different in composition from said first semiconductor material, grown directly on said semiconductor substrate, and covering said first transistor;

a second transistor located in said first semiconductor layer; and

a wire extending within said first semiconductor layer and electrically connecting said first transistor to said second transistor, wherein said semiconductor substrate and said first semiconductor layer are materials selected from the group consisting of SiC, GaN, and ZnO.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein:

said semiconductor substrate is a single crystal material having a lattice constant; and

said first semiconductor layer is a single crystal material having a lattice constant close to the lattice constant of said semiconductor substrate so said first semiconductor layer is epitaxial to said semiconductor substrate.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first semiconductor material;

a first transistor located in said semiconductor substrate;

a first semiconductor layer of a transparent second semiconductor material, different in composition from said first semiconductor material, supported by said semiconductor substrate and covering said first transistor;

a second semiconductor layer interposed between said first semiconductor layer and said semiconductor substrate;

a second transistor located in said first semiconductor layer; and

a wire extending within said first semiconductor layer and electrically connecting said first transistor to said second transistor, wherein said semiconductor substrate is SiC, said first semiconductor layer is AlGaN, and said second semiconductor layer is GaN.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a first semiconductor layer;

a first transistor located in said first semiconductor layer and having at least one electrode;

a second semiconductor layer of a transparent semiconductor material disposed on said first semiconductor layer and covering all of the electrodes of said first transistor;

a second transistor located in said second semiconductor layer and having at least one electrode; and

a wire extending within said second semiconductor layer and electrically connecting an electrode of said first transistor to an electrode of said second transistor, wherein

the transparent semiconductor material of said second semiconductor layer has a bandgap energy of at least 2.5 eV, and

said second semiconductor layer is disposed between said first and second transistors, without any additional insulating film disposed between said first and second transistors.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 7, wherein

said first semiconductor layer is a first semiconductor material;

and

said second semiconductor layer is a second semiconductor material, different in composition from said first semiconductor material.